Tuesday, June 8, 2010

#13 Strachan Bay via Nakwakto Rapids

This morning we were lazying around waiting to depart at about 11AM to make slack current at the dangerous Nakwakto Rapids, predicted per the Canadian Current Tables at 11:33AM. Actually Pat didn't know how dangerous the rapids could be until she read yesterdays blog. So as we're getting pumped up for the Rapids, I realize that it's "Spring forward, Fall back." The Canadian Table gives times for slack current in Pacific Standard Time not Pacific Daylight Time. So when the slack tide is at 12:33PM PST, that's 1:33PM PDT, not 11:33AM PDT. Whoops! Realizing the miscalculation, we immediately pull the anchor and get going at 9:30AM. We'll be about 2 hours late for the 8:14AM slack, which lasts for less than 10 minutes. The tidal current is pushing us up narrow Schooner Channel and we are approaching the rapids with an added 3 knots. At the Rapids, the water is churning, and Pat would rather me drive than take pictures. She's giving out lots of advice! We swoosh past Tremble Island at over 15 knots across the bottom, avoiding several whirlpools that sort of appear out of nowhere. It's over in about 4 minutes and once past the Rapids, Seymour Inlet is totally serene. Pat disappears below to use the head.

Tremble Island (aka Turret Rock) is dead center of Nakwakto Rapids. It is said, the 20mph current causes the island to tremble. Many daring crew have landed and posted signs with the yacht names that have braved the rapids. The Wild Blue crew has no sign posters.

Looking northwest up Seymour Inlet from just inside the rapids.

"East of the Nakwakto Rapids a magical world opens up" notes Don Douglass the author of Exploring Northern BC. Another notable Alaska cruise veteran Harriott Squire would likely say "Rocks and trees. Trees and rocks." We'll check it out this week and form our own opinion.

We noted several logging camps dotting the shores of Belize Inlet.

We anchored in Strachan Bay, a well protected anchorage. We had neighbors: our first in a day, their first in 7 days inside these inlets.

Another neighbor with which we shared the bay, invited us to dinner ashore. We declined, not wanting to be the main course.

1 comment:

Thanks for posting a blog on your foray into this area. Have been doing a little exploring via Google Earth and I'm fascinated by this area. Lot's of places to explore. ~Rear Commodore Rainier Yacht Club, Seattle.

MV WILD BLUE

ABOUT WILD BLUE

The Wild Blue is a Selene 53 Trawler and I'm the owner-operator. I've been boating since 1977 on the Pacific Coast from Mexico to Southeast Alaska. Prior to Wild Blue, I raced and cruised various sailboats including an Ericson 35, a J-36, and a Schock 35. I'm a member and past Commodore of the California Yacht Club, Los Angeles.